Spring boot



June 28, 1927. f 1,634,163

J. w. WATSON. ET AL SPRING BOOT Filed Jan. v, 1924 2 sheets-shams 1 June 28, 1927. 1,634,163

J. w. WATSON ET Al.

SPRING BOOT Filed Jan. v. 1924 2 sheets-sheet 2 Patented June 28, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlVcE.

JOHN WARREN WATSON AND RICHARD A. WATSON, OF WAYNE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SPRING BOOT.

Application led January 7, 1924. Serial No. 684,860.

The object of our invention is to provide a neat fitting boot for the springs of automobil-es and other vehicles.

Spring boots are casings that enclose the springs of automobiles in order to protect them from water, dust and dirt. They also act to retain a lubricant for the springs.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of an automobile spring, showing a boot secured to one-half of the spring;

Fig. 2 is .a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view on the line 8 3, Fig. 2;

Fig. eis a sectional perspective view, illustrating one-half of the spring and showing a boot applied thereto;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the boot;

Fig. 6 is an inverted plan view of the same, and

Fig. 7 is a view of a piece of material forming a part of our invention.

Referring to the drawings, 1 is a semielliptical spring of the type used on automobiles. This spring is composed of a Series of leaves, held by a central bolt 3 and clips 1 and 5. 6 is a boot made of flexible material such as leather or cloth, which encloses one-half of a spring. In the present instance, two boots are used to enclose .a spring of the type shown in Fig. 1. Each boot is shaped, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6.

In the present instance, lacing hooks 7 are located at each longitudinal edge of the boot. The edges are drawn together by a lace .8, Fig. 8. Other means of fastening a boot may be used without departing from the essential features of the invention.

When the boot is used as a means for retaining and distributing lubricant for the spring, a strip or strips of absorbent material may be located between the spring and the boot proper.

In Figs. 3 and 6, two strips of felt 9 are shown, which are secured to the boot b riv ets 10, or other suitable fastenings. hese felts are spaced apart and form a channel 11 through which a lubricant may be supplied to the boot, when on a spring, thrpugh the capped passage 12.

When a boot is on a spring, as in Fig. 4:, oil may be introduced through the capped passage and the felt strips saturated. As these strips extend on each side of the spring, as shown in Fig. .3, they supply lubricant to the spring.

It is difficult to provide a boot that will it a spring and the clips snugly. The clips however, should be covered in order to pref vent water, or dirt gaining access to the spring at the clips and to prevent the escape of lubricant.

The object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive and practical covering for the clips or other projections of the spring, which can be applied easily, and which will give the boot a neat appearance when on a spring. The boot has apertures 13-13, Fig. 5, for the clips or other projections of the spring. The apertures may be slits or, shaped openings depending upon the particular clip or other projection to be booted, and the edges of the apertures may be reinforced in any manner desired. When strips of absorbent material are used between the boot proper and the spring, corresponding slits may be formed, as at 14, Fig. 6. A strip 15, of any suitable material, but preferably'of the same material as the boot, is located between the body of the boot and the felt strips, as shown in Fig. 6. In the present instance, the strip is attached to the boot at any suitable point by a fastening device 16, or by stitches.

When the boot is applied to a spring, the ends 4a of the clip 4 are forced, in the present instance, through the slits in the felt strips 9, as shown in Fig. 3. The piece 15, which is loose at each end and flexible, is pushed by the clips through the apertures 13 in the boot, as the boot is drawn onto the spring. The strip 15 completely covers the clip, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

While it is preferred to attach the strip 15 to the boot for convenience, it may be a loose piece, if desired.

While we have described our invention in connection with a spring having clips with two projections, it will be understood that the invention may be used for enclosing any project-ion on a spring which cannot be neatly covered by the material of the boot, or where it is necessary to cut the material in order to allow the boot to t the spring.

We claim:

In aspring boot, the combination with a body member impervious to dirt and water .and adaptedr to enclose the spring, of

absorbent material attached to the inner side of the body member and adapted to rest against the top andsides ot' the spring, said body member and absorbent material haV ing therein apertures for the projecting portions ot a spring clip, an independent strip of material similar to that of the body member intermediate the latter and the absorbent member and overlying the said apertures, said strip being,` secured to the body 10 member intermediate the said apertures to permit jtree passage of portions of the end Sections thereof through the apertures in the body member.

JOHN VARRE-N VAT-SON. RICHARD A. W'ATSON. 

